This invention relates to tools which are used to tighten and loosen work pieces which have screw-type threads, for example fasteners such as nuts, bolts, and screws, and threaded pipes. Such work pieces typically require a tool size and shape which corresponds to a size and shape of the work piece, or which is specifically configured to adapt to the size and shape of a given work piece.
Specifically, a wrench is specifically sized to a respective size and type of fastener. Accordingly, where multiple sizes of fasteners are used in an assembly comprised of various respective parts, multiple wrenches addressing the respective fastener sizes are provided at the respective work site, to fit and manipulate the corresponding fasteners.
Even skilled workers spend a significant portion of their work time selecting and retrieving appropriate-size wrenches needed to fit the respective size work pieces/fasteners. Where the size of the work piece is unknown, the worker may select various tools by trial and error before selecting the correct tool needed for the job of fitting the work piece thereby to tighten and/or loosen the work piece/fastener.
Such trial and error tool selection results in a significant amount of non-productive working time, required for the worker to complete the respective task.
Various types of adjustable open-end tools/wrenches are known for use in addressing a respective wide variety of types of fasteners. There are known, for example, two handle pliers-type devices which have adjustable jaws to fit multiple work piece sizes, for example and without limitation vice grips and channel lock pliers. Such open end tools necessarily engage less than all of the engageable surfaces on the respective work pieces.
Two-handle adjustable box end-type wrenches are also known, where the strength of the hand grip of the user determines the amount of force which is applied to engaging the surfaces of the fastener. But such adjustable wrenches have limited size adjustment, and typically engage substantially less than the entireties of respective ones of the surfaces of a given work piece, typically only a minor fraction of a given engageable surface of a work piece.
Two-handle tools/wrenches typically rely, for the power and dependability of the grip, of the working surfaces on the work piece, on the strength of the hand grip of the user, and/or may engage the surfaces of the work pieces using heavily toothed/faceted engagement surfaces. Accordingly, such two-handle tools tend to produce rapid wear on the surfaces of the work pieces so engaged, either by biting into the work piece work surfaces, or by slipping off the work piece surfaces.
Single handle open ended devices for engaging threaded fasteners and pipes are also known, such as pipe wrenches, crescent wrenches, and a wrench known as the “New Grip” wrench. Pipe wrenches and New Grip wrenches also have substantial facets/teeth on the gripping surface to assist in the task of gripping the work piece. As with the two-handle tools/wrenches, the faceted gripping surfaces affect substantial wear on the work pieces with which they are used.
Crescent wrenches have smooth work piece engaging surfaces, which engage only two opposing ones of the work piece surfaces; but such smooth engaging surfaces on the tool tend to slip off the respective two surfaces on the work piece if the worker is not especially diligent in setting the size of the wrench as the work piece is being engaged.
Accordingly, there is a need for a novel size-adjustable tool which can be adjusted, within a minimum and maximum size range, to reliably fit the size of a faceted work piece.
There is also a need for a such novel adjustable tool which can engage more than two of the work piece facets.
There is further a need for a such novel adjustable tool which can engage substantially the entirety of a working surface of a given work piece facet.
There is particularly a need for a such novel adjustable tool which can be easily sized and resized to engage multiple sized work pieces.
There is still further a need for a such novel adjustable tool which has a broad range of dimensional adjustability capacity.
There is also a need for a such novel adjustable tool which reliably maintains the selected size during application of the device to a work piece.
There is also a need for a such novel adjustable tool wherein the tool jaws are designed and configured to distribute the work forces applied by the tool in an even and symmetrically balanced manner to all of the surfaces of the work piece.
There is yet further a need for a such novel adjustable tool which maintains the contact surfaces of the tool engaged with the work piece during use without the need for the operator to apply gripping force to the jaws while using the so-adjusted tool to rotate a work piece.
There is also a need for a such novel adjustable tool which can simultaneously engage substantially the entirety of the working surface of each of the facets on the work piece.
These and other needs are alleviated, or at least attenuated, or partially or completely satisfied, by novel products, systems, and/or methods of the invention.